Dr. Bruce McGibbon's area of specialization is radiation oncology. His professional affiliations include Griffin Hospital and Yale New Haven Health System. Dr. McGibbon is in-network for Anthem, ConnectiCare, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield, as well as other insurance carriers. New patients are welcome to contact his office for an appointment. After completing medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine, Dr. McGibbon performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Dr. John-Paul Ayala's medical specialty is adult critical care and adult pulmonology. Dr. Ayala attended Georgetown University School of Medicine and subsequently trained at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a hospital affiliated with Weill Cornell Medical College for residency. Patient ratings for Dr. Ayala average 4.5 stars out of 5. He is in-network for Anthem, ConnectiCare, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield, as well as other insurance carriers. Dr. Ayala (or staff) speaks the following foreign languages: Spanish and Italian. Dr. Ayala is professionally affiliated with Yale New Haven Health System. His practice is open to new patients.

Dr. Daniel Rudolph is a physician who specializes in adult critical care and adult pulmonology. Dr. Rudolph is an in-network provider for Anthem, ConnectiCare, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield, as well as other insurance carriers. After completing medical school at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, he performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with Stony Brook University Medical Center. In addition to English, Dr. Rudolph (or staff) speaks Hebrew, Spanish, and Italian. He is affiliated with Yale New Haven Health System. New patients are welcome to contact his office for an appointment.

Dr. Robert Folman specializes in adult oncology and medical oncology and practices in Trumboll, CT, Trumbull, CT, and Fairfield, CT. Anthem, ConnectiCare, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield are among the insurance carriers that Dr. Folman takes. His education and training includes medical school at SUNY, University at Buffalo School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and residency at a hospital affiliated with SUNY, University at Buffalo. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish. He is professionally affiliated with Yale New Haven Health System. Dr. Folman is open to new patients.

Pulmonology is a subspecialty that focuses on complex diseases of the lungs. In order to diagnose and treat lung disorders, a pulmonologist may also examine the chest, nose, throat, or heart. However, the main function of pulmonology is to make sure the lungs are functioning well.

Some of the diseases and disorders that might be treated by a pulmonologist include:

Pneumonia

Asthma

Tuberculosis

Emphysema

Mesothelioma and other lung cancers

Cystic Fibrosis

A pulmonologist often uses pulmonary function tests, such as spirometry, to measure how well the lungs are able to move air in and out. Pulmonologists are trained to take surgical samples and biopsies when needed, but they do not typically perform surgery. Pulmonologists may provide consultations to other doctors, acute care for sudden illnesses, or regular care for patients with long-term lung disorders.

Radiation oncologists are physicians who are specially trained in the safe use of radiation to treat cancer. Usually, they will manage a patient’s entire radiation treatment, from the imaging that will guide decisions, to the choices about what kind of radiation therapy to use.

Radiation is one of the few substances that can kill cancer cells and even shrink tumors. It does this by damaging DNA. When DNA becomes sufficiently damaged, cells can no longer reproduce, and they stop growing and die. Cancer cells are more susceptible to radiation than healthy tissue, because they reproduce faster. So typically, cancer cells exposed to radiation will be affected faster than healthy cells will. However it’s still important to protect healthy tissue as much as possible.

There are three ways that radiation can be delivered to the body. It can come from outside the body, delivered by a machine in much the same way x-rays are taken. This is called external-beam radiation. Sometimes the radiation is delivered internally, which is called brachytherapy. Tiny pellets of radioactive material are placed directly onto the cancer, where they can release radiation for a period of time. Some cancers are best treated systemically, with radioactive substances that travel through the bloodstream. Radiation oncologists decide which type of radiation therapy is best, developing a treatment plan for each patient that maximizes the benefits of the radiation while minimizing the risk to any healthy tissue.

Radiation oncologists may work with other kinds of physicians, such as medical oncologists or surgeons, to treat their patients. Sometimes patients are anxious about radiation therapy because it sounds dangerous. But radiation therapy won’t turn you radioactive. It’s safe, and so effective against many different types of cancer that it is one of the most common cancer treatments. Depending on the treatment, it may not even have noticeable side effects.

Radiation oncologists can be important allies in your fight against cancer.

Cardiothoracic surgery is the medical specialty that provides surgical care for the chest. Most often this means heart or lung surgery, but it can also include surgery on the esophagus, breastbone, or chest wall. Some cardiothoracic surgeons may specialize in the surgical treatment of children, or focus on a specific organ or surgical procedure.

Some of the diseases and procedures that a cardiothoracic surgeon might handle include:

Coronary artery disease

Heart valve surgery

Lung cancer

Cancer of the esophagus

GERD, or severe acid reflux

Heart or lung transplants

Cardiothoracic surgeons may use various types of imaging, such as an electrocardiogram or CT scan, to diagnose problems and plan the operation. They may also offer minimally invasive surgery or robotic surgery, if appropriate, to lower the risk of scarring and infection.

Cardiothoracic surgery is an older medical specialty, but it is still one of the most amazing. Often patients who need a cardiothoracic surgeon are extremely sick, suffering from an illness that will kill them without intervention. With surgery, however, they often make a complete recovery.